MAT
Master Of Arts In Teaching
The Masterful Teacher: A Reflective Practitioner-Facilitating Achievement in Communities of Diverse Learners
The faculty of St. Mary’s College believes that our state-accredited Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree allows aspiring teachers to take full advantage of the rich undergraduate curriculum available at our college – to spend a semester abroad, to complete a double major, to take elective courses in many diverse areas, to try interdisciplinary courses – and then synthesize that richly textured content background with graduate courses in education so they can better serve their future students.
The MAT builds on students’ grounding in their major and in the breadth of their Core Curriculum requirements and provides a seamless transition into professional coursework. The MAT provides instruction in pedagogical strategies, assessment, curriculum development, discipline and management, and other specific elements of the professional educator’s knowledge base.
Certification programs exist for grades 1 through 6, with an option to add a credential in early childhood education, and secondary English, math, history/social studies, social studies, biology, chemistry, and physics, for grades 7 through 12. There are also certification options for K-12 disciplines: art, music, theater, and world languages (Chinese, French, Spanish).
All of the teacher certification programs available have full program approval from the Maryland State Department of Education and lead to reciprocity for certification in all other states. Our program completers have a 100% pass rate on the PRAXIS exams, and our hiring rate for those who choose to teach is also near 100%.
The MAT is a full-time, year-long program requiring participants to intern in St. Mary’s County public schools from the beginning of the program. The mentor teachers at the school sites provide support and expertise that will prepare aspiring teachers to meet the challenge of teaching, translating theory into practice.
Admissions Process
- Complete information about the admissions process can be found here.
Program Prerequisites
In addition to the documentation listed above, MAT program participants must successfully complete a minor in educational studies at St. Mary’s or comparable coursework, as well as deep study in their intended area of teaching. A complete listing of required courses can be found here. All applicants must have a 3.0 minimum GPA. Please consult with the department chair of Educational Studies at mat@smcm.edu with more questions.
Elementary Candidates (Grades 1-6, EDEL)
- Major in any area of study
- Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in infant and child development or lifespan development and EDUC 296
OR
Coursework that is equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above - 12 credits of math (e.g., MATH 131, MATH 161, MATH 162, COSC 120; PSYC 203; up to four credits may be from non-MATH coded courses)
- 12 credits of science (e.g., ASTR 154, BIOL 101, CHEM 101, PHYS 103)(students must take at least one physical science and one biological science.)
- American history or government (e.g., HIST 200, HIST 219; POSC 100 does not meet this requirement)
- English literature (e.g., ENGL 106, EDUC 366)
- More information can be found here.
Elementary Candidates (Grades 1-6, EDEL)Major in any area of study
- Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in infant and child development or lifespan development and EDUC 296
OR Coursework that is equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above - 12 credits of math (e.g., MATH 131, MATH 161, MATH 162, COSC 120; PSYC 203; up to four credits may be from non-MATH coded courses)
- 12 credits of science (e.g., ASTR 154, BIOL 101, CHEM 101, PHYS 103)(students must take at least one physical science and one biological science.)
- American history or government (e.g., HIST 200, HIST 219; POSC 100 does not meet this requirement)
- English literature (e.g., ENGL 106, EDUC 366)
- More information can be found here.
Elementary with Early Childhood Candidates (EDEL and EDEC)
All of the elementary prerequisites, in addition to EDEC 770 (Issues, Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education), which will be offered either before or during the MAT program. Early childhood candidates must take a course in infant and child development; a lifespan development course is not accepted.
Secondary Candidates (Grades 7-12, EDSC)
- Major in the appropriate content field with appropriate breadth and depth.
- Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in adolescence or lifespan development and EDUC 386 OR Coursework equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above.
- More information can be found . Check with an Educational Studies adviser at mat@smcm.edu regarding specific questions.
K-12 Candidates (Grades PreK-12 in Art, Music, Theater, World Languages)
- Major in the appropriate content field with appropriate breadth and depth.
- Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in adolescence or lifespan development and EDUC 386 OR Coursework equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above.
- Individuals who have a native proficiency in one of the languages for which we offer certification but do not have a degree in that language can pursue certification for teaching that language by demonstrating proficiency through testing. Please consult the Department Chair for additional information.
- Music majors are advised to speak to the Department Chair in Music once you have decided to pursue the MAT for Music to ensure availability of methods courses.
- Individuals who have a native proficiency in one of the languages for which we offer certification but do not have a degree in that language can pursue certification for teaching that language by demonstrating proficiency through testing. Please consult the Department Chair for additional information.
- More information can be found here. Check with an Educational Studies adviser at mat@smcm.edu regarding specific questions.
Program Completion
MAT participants who successfully complete the program coursework with a 3.0 average GPA or better, successfully complete all aspects of the internship, complete edTPA, present their research projects, and achieve passing scores on the appropriate PRAXIS II tests will be eligible for “approved program” certification in Maryland. Names of program completers will be sent to the Maryland State Department of Education, after which individuals may apply for their teaching certificate. Approved program certification allows for reciprocity with minimal additional requirements in virtually all states.
Other Important Information
- Students who apply to the MAT program by the priority deadline listed on the website are given first consideration for scholarship awards and placement opportunities, particularly for content areas where there may be limited internship opportunities in the local school system (e.g., Chinese, Physics)
- The MAT program offers various scholarships to students for the MAT year; students will be invited to apply for scholarship consideration at the time of application. The various scholarships have different eligibility criteria; most scholarships are applied toward the first session in the program.
- The MAT program begins in early July and is completed in May the following year. There are 4 sessions within the graduate program, and students are billed in four equal installments prior to the start of each session.
- There may be residential on-campus living options for MAT students during the regular academic year; if available, accepted students will be notified the spring prior to the start of the MAT program.
- All internship experiences will be fulfilled in St. Mary’s County public schools.
- Current program capacity is approximately 35 students.
- The program is a full-time cohort program; there are no electives and no options for part-time enrollment.
Outcomes Of The MAT Program
As an accredited program, the MAT program at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is aligned to meet numerous state- and nationally-defined standards for initial teacher education. These include:
- The 10 Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards
- The 7 Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (MTTS)
- The standards for the Special Program Areas that govern the national accrediting agency’s guidelines for the preparation of teachers in art, music, English, social studies, math, science, foreign language, theater and elementary education.
- The 5 standards for Professional Development Schools in Maryland
In order to become ethical and highly effective professionals who positively respond to the needs of all learners, our students will also develop and learn to leverage the following knowledge:
- Content area/subject knowledge (K1)
- Pedagogical knowledge (K2)
- Knowledge of developmental, cognitive, linguistic, and socio-affective needs of learners (K3)
- Knowledge of particular learner populations whose needs require specialized consideration in order to realize maximized learning (K4)
In order to become ethical and highly effective professionals who positively respond to the needs of all learners, our students will develop and learn to leverage the following skills:
- How to design and implement differentiated, culturally responsive teaching practice that meets content area goals (S1)
- How to assess student learning and adjust instruction (S2)
- How to design, implement, and interpret research (S3)
- How to develop and nurture inclusive, collaborative relationships in/in support of the learning environment (S4)
- How to effectively communicate in speech, writing, and through technology-mediated means (S5)
- How to engage in reflective practice (S6)
- How to use technology to enhance student learning (S7)
In order to become ethical and highly effective professionals who positively respond to the needs of all learners, our students will develop and learn to leverage the following values:
- Ethical practice (V1)
- Inclusion (V2)
Professional growth and continuous learning (V3)
Learning Outcomes
- Content area/subject knowledge (K1)
- Pedagogical knowledge (K2)
- Knowledge of developmental, cognitive, linguistic, and socio-affective needs of learners (K3)
- Knowledge of particular learner populations whose needs require specialized consideration in order to realize maximized learning (K4)
- How to design and implement differentiated, culturally responsive teaching practice that meets content area goals (S1)
- How to assess student learning and adjust instruction (S2)
- How to design, implement, and interpret research (S3)
- How to develop and nurture inclusive, collaborative relationships in/in support of the learning environment (S4)
- How to effectively communicate in speech, writing, and through technology-mediated means (S5)
- How to engage in reflective practice (S6)
- How to use technology to enhance student learning (S7)
- Ethical practice (V1)
- Inclusion (V2)
- Professional growth and continuous learning (V3)
Faculty
Katy Arnett, SooBin Jang, Angela Johnson (Chair & Director of Teacher Education), Kathy Koch, David Morris, Janna Thompson